Man’s Mission
A woman came to me in a most distraught state. “Honored Rav,” she began, “My son is terribly ill. His days are numbered. Please bless him with a full recovery.”
She continued, “This son was born in the merit of your holy father, the tzaddik, Rabbi Moshe Aharon Pinto, zy”a. After many long years of childlessness, he blessed me that I would have a son. But he made one condition: I had to obligate myself to educate him in the manner of pure Judaism. I accepted this upon myself.
“Some time afterward, I merited bearing a son. My husband and I were filled with joy. But, sadly, when this boy grew into a young man, he became friendly with a gentile woman. Even now, as he lies on his sickbed, he refuses to leave her. He insists that only she tend to his needs.” The woman ended her words weeping profusely.
This account gave me pause for thought. Why did Father bless this woman with a son when he surely saw that in the future he would live with a gentile woman?
In response to this question, the words of Yeshayahu came to me. Yeshayahu Hanavi had warned Chizkiyahu that because he did not marry, he would lose his life in this world as well as in the Next. Upon hearing this prediction of doom, Chizkiyahu immediately justified himself. He had acted solely l’shem Shamayim. He had foreseen that he would beget a rasha, Menashe, who would sin and cause the nation to sin, as well. Chizkiyahu therefore preferred to remain alone in this world, rather than father a son who would disgrace Hashem’s Name.
Yeshayahu explained that it is not man’s duty to calculate Heavenly matters. Responsibility for our children’s future depends solely upon Hashem. Man’s job is to procreate and bring children into this world. Yeshayahu added that Hashem never gives up on anyone. Even the greatest sinners can repent their iniquities and come back to Him. If Hashem does not give up on anyone, the king should certainly not fall into despair before even having a son. His job was to marry and establish a family. One never knows when the Jewish spark will be kindled within one’s descendants. Even if his son never did teshuvah, his grandson or great-grandson will certainly return.
Father, too, foresaw that this young man would sin and anger his G-d. But he acted like the prophet and blessed this woman. Regarding the wayward neshamah, he left that up to Hashem. The day would come when it would return to its roots.
- With HaGaon Rabbi Shimon Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshivat Torah Ohr
